Science & Nature

Worlds Beyond Our Sun

The James Webb Space Telescope Is Revealing the Atmospheres of Distant Planets

Natasha Ivanova

Astrophysicist at the European Space Agency, working on exoplanet characterization with the James Webb Space Telescope.

February 10, 2026·8 min read

Worlds Beyond Our Sun

The James Webb Space Telescope has transformed the study of exoplanet atmospheres, detecting water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and even sulfur dioxide in the atmospheres of planets orbiting other stars. The search for biosignatures — chemical signs of life — is no longer science fiction.

TOPICS

exoplanetsJames Webb Telescopeastrobiologyastronomylife in universe

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